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Museum and Municipal Archive of Calella

Roman unguent pot

This Roman clay unguent pot from the 2nd century BC served a funerary purpose, although it may also have been used for personal hygiene. The Museum of Calella has a collection of these pots measuring 12 centimetres high, with pieces from up tothe 1st century AD. Many of these pots have lines marked around the neck or mouth, some coloured black or red. Unguent pots were used to keep perfumes or oils for the body, and many came to be buried along with their owners.